Improvement in reflectors for electric lights



A. A. LAMBERT. r Reflector for Electric-Lights.

No. 210,543. Patented Dec. 3, 1878.

N-PETERS, FHOTO-UTNOGRAFKER, WASHXNGTON, n C.

UNITED STATES PATENT FF-ICE.

ALOYSIUS A. LAMBERT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TC MATITIAS BENNERAND JOHN I. BARRETT, OF SAME PLACE, ONE-THIRD TO EACH.

IMPROVEMENT IN REFL ECTORS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 210,543, dated December3, 1876 application filed June 28, 1878.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, ALOYSIUS A. LAMBERT, of the city of Chicago,Cookcounty, State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Im-'provements in Electric Lights, of which the following is a fulldescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which-Figure 1 is a vertical section; Fig. 2, ahorizontal sect-ion on line 00x of Fig. 1, showing the construction of the lower reflector.

This invention relates more especially to that class of lights generatedby passing an electric current between two cylinders or pieces of carbonlocated at the positive and negative ends of the circuit, in closeproximity to each other, so that the circuit will not be completewithout traversing the small space between the carbon points. Itsobjects are to diffuse and scatter the rays of light, so as to cover amore extended space than heretofore, and to throw the rays equally inall directions; and its nature consists in locating the carbon pointsmidway between an upper and lower reflector, each having a reflectingsurface formed by a true parabolic curve, so as to form I convexparaboloids, and so arranged as to reflect the rays of light throughplane convex lenses located around the periphery of the reflectors, inproviding a cap or cover having a drip cup and tube so arranged as tocatch all the moisture and prevent it from coming in contact with thecarbon points; and in providing the lower reflectorrim with a series ofholes to supply the required amount of air to the light.

In the drawings, AA represent the convex reflectors; B, the plano-convexlenses C C, the supporting rings or rims D, the cover or top; E, thewater-shed; F, the drip-cup; Gr, the drip-tubes; H, the protecting tubeand cap; I, the supporting standards; J, the screw-socket K, thetie-rods; a a, the carbon points; b, the air-holes in the lowerreflector; c, the flanges for securing the lenses in place.

The reflectors A A are, by preference, made of glass, silvered on theinside, and their reflecting-surfaces are formed so as to have a' trueparaboloid curvature, and are located so as to presenttheir convex facesto the light, and at the required distance apart, which distance willvary with the intensity of the light. These reflectors are secured tothe rings or supports C C, in any suitable manner, so as to allow forexpansion and contraction 5 and the rim of the lower reflector is to beprovided with a series of holes, b,,for the passage of air from theoutside to the carbon points, and for coolin g the side lenses. Suitablepassages or openings are provided at the center of the reflectors forthe carbon points a a, which points are of the usual construction, andare connected with the electric circuit in any of the well-knownmanners, and such construction is therefore neither shown nor described.

The lenses B are made of glass which has a high diffusing and aretracting power, and are plano-convex, and are secured between therings or rims C C by means of, flanges c, or in any other suitablemanner, so as to bring their plane surfaces on the outside, as shown inFigs. 1 and 2. These lenses are so located around the periphery of theparabolical reflectors, and with reference thereto, as to receive nearlyevery ray of light reflected and diffuse it,'so that no light is lost.

The supports or rings C C may be cast, or otherwise formed, so as tohave a suitable rim for the attachment of the parabolic reflectors andthe plano-convex lenses in their required positions, and may be securedtogether by tierods K, which rods pass up at the ends of the lenses, asshown, and are secured to the rims or rings outside of the lenses bymeans of a nut, screws, or by other suitable means.

The cover D may be made of metal or other suitable material, and may beof the form shown or any other suitable form, and may be secured to theupper ring or rim, C, in any wellknown manner. On top of this cover I)is a water-shed, E, connected with the cover by means of a tube, and soconstructed as to prevent the rain, &c., from driving into the cover inlarge quantities; and inside of the cover, below the water-shed, islocated a drip'cup, F, so arranged and constructed as to catch anymoisture which may enter, and conduct it, by means of the drip-tubes Gr,outside and down the supporting-rods K; and in order to prevent anymoisture from coming in contact with the carbon points, the openingtherefor in the reflector A is protected by a tube or flange, H, havinga covering, to deflect the moisture away from the carbon point toprevent injury thereto.

The reflectors, as shown, are supported upon standards I, provided atthe bottom with a screw-threaded socket, J, by means of which the devicecan be secured to a post or other suitable support, the upper ends ofthe standards being suitably secured to the rim or rin g C. In theconstruction shown five plano-convex lenses are used; but the numberwill be varied according to the size of the device, a greater numberbeing used for a large size than for a small, and the size of the lensesmust be in exact proportion to the size of the reflectors, in order todiffuse all of the rays of light.

The device can be applied to any purpose for which it may be desired,and can be used either in the open air or inside of a building; andthough designed for use with electric lights, it can be used with otherlights for diffusing the rays in every direction, and very greatlyincrease the power and brilliancy of the light.

In use, the rays of light either pass directly from the carbon pointsthrough the lenses, or are reflected from the pa-raboloid reflectors, so

that all the rays pass through the lenses, and are deflected through theatm ospherc, and those rays which, by their vertical, downward, andinclined direction, would be lost, are by this arrangement changed intheir direction and made to intensify the light.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of an upper and lower convex paraboloid reflectorwith surrounding plano-convex lenses, for completing the difl'usion ofthe light, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the reflectors A A and lenses B, the cover D,provided with devices for preventing moisture from entering and comingin contact with the carbon points, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

3. The cover or cap D, provided with the drip-cup F and drip'tubes G, incombination with the ring or rim (J, for preventing the entrance ofmoisture to the carbon points, substantially as specified.

ALOYSIU S A. LAMBERT.

\Vitnesses:

O. W. BOND, II. F. BRUNs.

